About

The International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (IFCCD) is the voice of cultural professionals around the world. It brings together some thirty organizations representing creators, artists, independent producers, distributors, broadcasters and publishers in the book, film, television, music, live performance and visual arts sectors.

The Federation is incorporated in Canada and its General Secretariat is located in Montreal. The French Coalition for Cultural Diversity represents the IFCCD at UNESCO in Paris.

The IFCCD was founded in Seville (Spain) on 19 September 2007 to replace the International Liaison Committee of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (ILC). This Committee was created in 2003 at the initiative of the Coalitions for Cultural Diversity to facilitate cooperation and the development of common positions and actions. In particular, the ILC encouraged the elaboration of UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions by coordinating the participation of civil society representatives and professionals from the cultural sector in international negotiation sessions.

Since its foundation, the IFCCD has organized several ratification campaigns for the Convention in Asia Pacific, South America, Europe and Africa, and has supported the organization of numerous events to promote the diversity of cultural expressions.

It held its international congress in Salvador de Bahia (Brazil) in 2009, Bratislava (Slovakia) in 2012, Mons (Belgium) in 2015, Montreal (Canada) in 2018.

Mission

The IFCCD now has the task of coordinating civil society efforts for the implementation of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Article 11 of the Convention recognizes the fundamental role of civil society in protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions. Since its creation, the IFCCD has played a leading role within the platforms available to civil society to represent its voice in UNESCO’s governing bodies.

The IFCCD supports the action of its members through research, tools or events that enable civil society to ensure vigilance and participation in debates and work that have an impact on the diversity of cultural expressions: revision of laws on culture, trade negotiations, discoverability of local content, etc.

The IFCCD also promotes the participation and consultation of its members and civil society in the meetings of the Convention’s monitoring bodies.

Our work

At the Montreal Congress in October 2018, members defined the IFCCD’s priorities for the coming years.

Trade

• Inform civil society of the importance of cultural exemption clauses in international trade agreements;

• Ensure that all States refrain from making liberalization commitments on cultural goods and services during bilateral, regional or international trade negotiations.

Diversity of Expressions in the Digital Age

• Defend the capacity of governments to put in place policies to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions on the Web;

• Promote the availability and visibility of local cultural content;

• Contribute to the improvement of knowledge on the diversity of cultural expressions in the digital age in the field of data.

Mobilization of Civil Society

• Encourage and support the formation of national coalitions and national groupings committed to the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions;

• Support cooperation among members at the regional level to ensure that actions are implemented that respond to regional challenges;

• Mobilize research groups around the challenges of the diversity of cultural expressions, particularly the various UNESCO Chairs.

Links With UNESCO

• Ensure the active participation of the IFCCD in the implementation of the Convention;

• Involve the IFCCD in the work of the Convention’s monitoring bodies and support actions that strengthen its implementation at the national, regional and international levels.

Board of directors

Mane Nett

Mane Nett is President of the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity and the Chilean Coalition for Cultural Diversity. A graduate of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, she has participated in more than twenty-five television film projects and worked on numerous plays. She was a member of the Board of Directors of Corporación Chile Actores and has held the positions of Vice-President and President of the Union of Chilean Actors (SIDARTE), of which she is currently a member of the Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Fundación Santiago Creativo.

Kodjo Cyriaque Noussouglo

Kodjo Cyriaque Noussouglo is Vice President Africa of the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity. A graduate of Senghor University in Alexandria and the University of Lomé, he is a professor and researcher, and an expert on heritage and cultural diversity. Director of the Filbleu Festival, he chairs the Togolese Coalition for Cultural Diversity and the FILBLEUES association, which specializes in the organization of cultural events and artistic training. He is also the National Coordinator of the Reading and cultural activities centres (Centres de lecture et d’animation culturelle, CLAC) at the Togolese Ministry of Culture in Lomé.

Ray Argall

Ray Argall is Vice President Asia-Pacific of the IFCCD and Coordinator of the Australian Coalition for Cultural Diversity. A graduate of the Australian Film Television and Radio School, he has a productive career in film as a director, producer, director of photography, editor and writer of feature films, short films and documentaries. His first feature film, Return Home, received the 1990 AFI Award for Best Director, the Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Director and Best Film. Ray Argall was President of the Australian Directors Guild (ADG) from 2006 to 2015 where he represented Australian filmmakers in many forums.

Beat Santschi

Beat Santschi is Vice-President Europe of the IFCCD and a member of the Steering Committee of the Swiss Coalition for Cultural Diversity. Musician and cultural manager, graduate of the University of Zurich, the Jazzschule of Lucerne, the Guitar Institute of Technology of Los Angeles and the ZHAW Zentrum für Kulturmanagement, he is central president of the Swiss Union of Musical Artists USDAM, vice-president of the International Federation of FIM Musicians, member of the Swissperformance management committee and vice-president of the Swiss Cooperative of SIG Performers.

Pascal Rogard

Pascal Rogard is an administrator of the IFCCD. A graduate in public law, he studied at the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris. He began by creating a theatre company and directing several productions. From 1981 to 2003, he held various positions in professional organizations. He was General Delegate of the Society of Authors, Directors and Producers (ARP) from 1989 to 2003. Since 2004, Pascal Rogard has been Executive Director of the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (SACD) and President of the French Coalition for Cultural Diversity. In 2015, he was appointed Vice-President of the European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity. Pascal Rogard is also a Knight of the Legion of Honour, Commander of the National Order of Merit, Commander of the Arts and Letters.

Mirka Brezovska

Mirka Brezovska is a director of the IFCCD. A graduate of Comenius University and Constantine the Philosopher University, she works with the main Slovak, Czech and Central European film and television productions as a translator, scriptwriter, script supervisor and lyricist. Since 2009, she has been involved in the activities of the Slovak Coalition for Cultural Diversity and focuses on issues related to intellectual property and the status of the artist. Between 2014 and 2016, she was a member of the Working Group on Copyright and then the Working Group on the Status of the Artist, both created by the Slovak Ministry of Culture.